King James Version

Proverbs 20:4

The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

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Hebrew

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מֵ֭חֹרֶףmechoreffrom winterחֹרֶףpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “from winter”, the ordinary formH2779properly, the crop gathered, i.e. (by implication) the autumn (and winter) season; figuratively, ripeness of agecold, winter (-house), youth.עָצֵ֣לatselslothfulעָצֵלadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “slothful”, the ordinary formH6102indolentslothful, sluggard.לֹאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יַחֲרֹ֑שׁyacharoshbe deafחָרַשׁverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be deaf”, an unfinished actionH2790to scratch, i.e. (by implication) to engrave, plough; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate (of any material); figuratively, to devise (in a bad sense); hence (from the idea of secrecy) to be silent, to let alone; hence (by implication) to be deaf (as an accompaniment of dumbness)[idiom] altogether, cease, conceal, be deaf, devise, ear, graven, imagine, leave off speaking, hold peace, plow(-er, man), be quiet, rest, practise secretly, keep silence, be silent, speak not a word, be still, hold tongue, worker.ישאלyshldemandשָׁאַלverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “demand”, an unfinished actionH7592to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demandask (counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand, desire, [idiom] earnestly, enquire, [phrase] greet, obtain leave, lend, pray, request, require, [phrase] salute, [idiom] straitly, [idiom] surely, wish.וְשָׁאַ֖לveshaaland demandשָׁאַלconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and demand”, a completed action in a sequenceH7592to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demandask (counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand, desire, [idiom] earnestly, enquire, [phrase] greet, obtain leave, lend, pray, request, require, [phrase] salute, [idiom] straitly, [idiom] surely, wish.בַּקָּצִ֣ירbaqatsirin harvestקָצִירpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in harvest”, the ordinary formH7105severed, i.e. harvest (as reaped), the crop, the time, the reaper, or figuratively; also a limb (of a tree, or simply foliage)bough, branch, harvest (man).וָאָֽיִןvaayinand elseאַיִןconjunction, particle, negative — “and else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

The sluggard will not plow when winter setteth in; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; Therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Young’s Literal Translation

Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing.

World English Bible

The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Darby Translation

The sluggard will not plough by reason of the winter; he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Douay-Rheims

Because of the cold the sluggard would not plough: he shall beg therefore in the summer, and it shall not be given him.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

The sluggard will not plow when winter setteth in; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

A sluggard when reproached is not ashamed: so also he who borrows corn in harvest.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὀνειδιζόμενος ὀκνηρὸς οὐκ αἰσχύνεται, ὡσαύτως καὶ ὁ δανειζόμενος σῖτον ἐν ἀμητῷ.